The Republic of Eritrea is a country situated in the Horn of Africa in the northeast of Africa.
Eritrea is a small country with a population of around 3.214 million people as of 2011. The country is a super chill destination with kind-hearted people and lots of unique things to do.
Located on the Red Sea, the country’s coastal location has a significant history. The Red Sea was a trading route with the interests of big European countries like Turkey, Egypt, and Italy.
Ethiopia gained control over Eritrea. The people of this country fought for nearly three decades and became a sovereign country in 1993. They established peace and overcame their religious and ethnic differences to tackle the high level of poverty.
The country is safe to visit as long as you avoid some of the risky areas of the country. Its capital city, Asmara, is relatively safe, but there has been an increase in criminal activities for some time.
Violent crimes and petty crimes exist, so take utmost precaution for your safety and don’t walk alone at night.
Geography
Djibouti borders Eritrea to the southeast whereas, Ethiopia bounds the country to the south and Sudan to the west. Its coastline forms the northeastern edge of the country and separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden in the south.
The country has a variety of landscapes. It includes volcanic mountains, wild plateaus, flat-topped hills, rugged topography, escarpments, undulating plains, and beautiful coasts and islands.
The highest elevation of the country is at Mount Soira at 9,885 feet.
Climate
The country has a variety of climatic conditions that are influenced by elevation differences.
The coastal areas near Massawa have one of the highest average temperatures in the world (about 30 degrees celsius). On the other hand, Asmara has an average of about 17 degrees celsius on its plateaus.
Rainfall occurs in summer in the highlands and the western lowlands. The rate of precipitation decreases as you go towards the northeastern extremes of the plateau.
The average precipitation rate in Eritrea is about 16 to 20 inches in the plateaus and less than 16 inches in the western plains.
Best time to visit Eritrea
The best time to visit the country is during the high season of October to March. Avoid traveling the country during the hot season that begins in May and ends in August.
People
There are several ethnic groups in Eritrea, and each has its language and traditions.
Besides the languages of the ethnic groups, English, Arabic, and Italian is also widely used and understood.
The Eritrean highlands are composed of Tigray, also known as Tigrinya. Thus, the second major ethnic group is Tigre, followed by Saho, Kunama, Rashaida, Bilen, etc.
Half of the country’s people follow Christianity. Two-fifths of the people are members of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
50% of Eritrea’s population are Muslims.
